Spina bifida in three dogs

Abstract

Spina bifida is a congenital bone malformation with incomplete closure of the dorsal vertebral arches that may occur in association with protrusion of the meninges or spinal cord and meninges due to the vertebral defect. The aim of the present paper is to describe the occurrence of spina bifida in two mongrel and an English Cocker Spaniel dogs. In first and third cases spina bifida were diagnosticated by clinical examination and myelography. First and second dogs were macerated and examined macroscopically. In the first case, we observed that besides spina bifida in the lumbosacral vertebrae and meningomyelocele, there were other congenital alterations such as thoracic block vertebrae and incomplete closure of some vertebral bodies. The second dog also presented open spina bifida in the sacrocaudal region, and a closed spina bifida in both the caudal cervical and initial thoracic vertebrae. In the third case, spina bifida in the lumbosacral region was associated with meningomyelocele.